Where Does Paint.NET Store Settings and Plugins?
Paint.NET keeps user palettes in Documents and plugin files in Effects and FileTypes folders. The exact plugin path depends on Classic, Store, or portable installs.
Last updated
Custom palettes are text files under Documents paint.net User Files Palettes. The Colors window can create and open this folder on demand.
Classic installs load effects from Program Files paint.net Effects and file types from the sibling FileTypes folder. Store installs use Documents Paint.NET App Files with manually created Effects, FileTypes, and Shapes subfolders.
Where Paint.NET stores this, by platform
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\paint.net User Files\Palettes
Default palette folder. Each palette is a .txt file. <username> is the Windows account name. A second scanned location is Documents Paint.NET App Files Palettes.
C:\Program Files\paint.net\Effects
Effects plugins folder for Classic installs. FileType plugins belong in the sibling FileTypes folder. Restart Paint.NET after adding .dll files.
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Paint.NET App Files\Effects
Effects folder for Microsoft Store installs. Create Effects, FileTypes, and Shapes subfolders manually if absent. <username> is the Windows account name.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my new effect not appear?
The .dll may be blocked or in the wrong folder. Unblock it in Properties, place Effects in Effects and file types in FileTypes, then restart the app.
Where are Paint.NET settings kept?
Core options are stored per user and managed inside the app. For migration focus on palettes, brushes, and plugin folders rather than registry values.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.